Best Way to Get Smoke Smell Out of a Mattress

There are many different types of mattresses available today. You’ve got the traditional innerspring mattress. There are memory foam mattresses that are highly affordable. Specialty mattresses can treat specific conditions. You can make the modern mattress firm or soft while raising or lowering it by remote control.

You could easily spend $3,000 or more on a brand-new mattress today. That’s why if it begins to smell like cigarette smoke, the best option is to remove the odor instead of trying to purchase a new mattress.

How you freshen up a mattress depends on the type of mattress you own. Here are the options that are available to you.

How to Remove Odors from Traditional Mattresses

Use a vacuum on its lowest suction setting. Then vacuum the mattress thoroughly with the upholstery attachment. This will remove many of the particles that can be trapping smoke odors.

Spray a 50/50 mixture of distilled white vinegar with distilled water. You’ll want to dampen the mattress, but not saturate it with the mixture. Allow the mattress to dry and then repeat as necessary until the smoke odors disappear.

Take the mattress outside for the afternoon and allow the fresh air to blow through it.

Cover the mattress with a thin layer of baking soda and allow it to sit all day. Then vacuum the baking soda and repeat every day until the odor disappears.

Be sure to flip the mattress over when using these methods and apply to the top and bottom. With a traditional mattress, the oldest odor particles will sink to the bottom of the mattress. If you only clean the top, you’ll never reach the particles at the bottom and this will allow stale smoke odors to linger.

Never use a toxic cleaner on your mattress. Make sure the products you use are labeled as being non-toxic before proceeding.

How to Remove Odors from a Memory Foam Mattress

Memory foam tends to trap odors from sweat, cigarette smoke, and other environmental influences over time because of its porous structure. That’s why, over a year or two, memory foam mattress can smell worse than your sneakers after wearing them all day.

To remove smoke odors, you’ll need to thoroughly clean your mattress. Here’s what you can do.

Vacuum your mattress with a handheld vacuum. Then make sure the mattress is covered by an antimicrobial mattress cover to prevent future contamination.

Use a solution of clear dishwashing liquid and water. Mix until you get bubbles. Then use a sponge and clean with a circular motion over the surface of the memory foam. Continue until you’ve covered the entire surface and then allow to air dry. For particularly strong odors, you can spray the mattress with a 50/50 solution of distilled vinegar and distilled water before using the soap/water combination.

If your memory foam mattress becomes wet, use sunshine to dry the mattress. In a pinch, some baking soda or a fan directed toward the wet area can prevent new odors from building within the mattress.

How to Clean a Specialty Mattress

Most specialty mattresses can be cleaned with a combination of sparkling water and a mild detergent. You won’t want to saturate the mattress while cleaning it because you can drive the contaminants deeper into the fabric. You’ll always want to air dry after cleaning to ensure the odor doesn’t return.

Specialty mattresses should not have a stain guard applied to them as this tends to cause the product to yellow over time.

Do not vacuum a specialty mattress unless the manufacturer suggests it for cleaning. The air pressure can damage components within the mattress.

Products to Help Your Mattress Become Free of Cigarette Smoke Odors

This vacuum is fine enough to pick up dust mites. It is also a UV vacuum cleaner that helps to sanitize the mattress to eliminate odor-producing items that are just 3 microns in size. Hot air is used with the vacuum to ensure that mites are killed. This results in a mattress that is virtually odor-free when used about once per week. The rolling wheels are pressure-sensitive, allowing you to have constant contact with the mattress to suck the odors away. It is one of the most effective tools for cleaning that we have ever seen.

This item is enzyme-based to remove pet stains and odors, but that also means it works very effectively to remove cigarette smoke odors at the same time. This product binds to the odor-causing molecules so that odors are absorbed. Just spray it onto the mattress and let it do its job. This product is a concentrated material, so a 4-ounce bottle will create one-half gallon of product to use.

This stain and odor remover can kill up to 99.9% of bacteria that can be found on soft surfaces like your mattress. It is a product that, when used daily, can even keep allergens at bay. You can spray it on your carpets, upholstery, and other items that may be absorbing smoke odors as well. Just be careful not to fully saturate the mattress when spraying it because this could ruin it. This product is not recommended for memory foam mattresses either.

Sometimes the toughest odors need the strongest tools to take care of stale smoke odors. That’s what this steam cleaner will provide. It is for those times when you need deep-cleaning help but you don’t want to use any chemicals to sanitize the surface. Use it on your floors to remove stains, grime, grease, and mold. The heat of the steam can penetrate the mattress to remove odor particles. It’s even gentle enough to use on walls that are covered with washable wallpaper.

The best way to get smoke smells out of a mattress means finding the right tools and products to use with your type of sleeping surface. Use these ideas to improve your bedroom environment and eventually you’ll be able to sleep free from cigarette odors.